Configuring Netscape 7 and Outlook 2002 as LDAP Clients

Now that we have an LDAP server set up and ready to go, our next step is to
configure our LDAP clients to use the directory. This article uses Netscape 7
under Linux and Microsoft Outlook 2002 under, not surprisingly, Windows. Let's
begin with Netscape 7.

In my opinion, Netscape has a much better interface for LDAP-based
directories than Outlook. To some extent, that is understandable. Outlook is
built to work with Exchange as both a mail client and groupware application.
How is Netscape better? For one thing, Netscape Address Book can import all of
the entries in an LDAP directory into your address book and keep those entries
synchronized with the directory. Essentially, you can disconnect from the
local network and use the LDAP-based address book even if you no longer have
access to the actual LDAP server. Now that's nifty.

Let's configure Netscape Address Book to use our LDAP server.

Begin by opening Netscape Address Book, either directly or from Netscape
Communicator.

Choose File->New->LDAP
Directory.

Netscape Address Book will open up the properties page for an LDAP
directory. First, enter a friendly name in the Name field, such as "Company
LDAP Directory."

In the Hostname field, enter either the LDAP server's hostname or IP
address.

The Base DN is simply the base search path specified for
ldapsearch with the -b option, so enter
ou=addressbook, dc=example, dc=com.

Choose OK.

Restart Netscape, and you should see the new LDAP entry in the Address Books
pane.

That's all there is to it. To test the search feature, type "Jane" into the
search field labeled "Name or Email contains:," and then press Enter. Jane
Doe's listing should come up. Select that listing to see all of the properties
we defined for Jane that the Netscape Address Book recognizes. To look up an
LDAP contact when composing an email message, do the following:

Choose "Add a new directory or address book" under the "Directory" label
and then choose Next.

Choose "Internet Directory Service (LDAP)" as the address book type and
then choose Next.

For "Server Name" specify the IP address or the hostname of the LDAP
server.

Choose "More Settings" and then select the "Search" tab. Here you need to
specify the base search path, which we also specified to
ldapsearch using the -b option. Type
ou=addressbook, dc=example, dc=com in the text field labeled
"Search base" and then choose OK.

Choose Next.

Outlook will present a congratulations screen. Choose Finish to close the
Wizard.

Restart Outlook to be able to use the LDAP directory you just
specified.

There are two ways to test Outlook's LDAP directory access. First, let's try
the fast and easy way:

Click the New Mail icon to bring up the New Mail window.

In the To: field, enter "Jane". (Outlook may try to auto-complete Jane's
name or address if you have ever emailed another Jane before. Be sure to not
use this entry, as that will short-circuit the LDAP lookup.)

You can now either tab to the next field or enter Ctrl-K to force
an address lookup. If you do not enter Ctrl-K, then Outlook will perform
the lookup while you are doing another operation, such as entering the text of
the message.

At this point, Outlook should have filled in "Jane Doe" for you in the To:
field. Note that for some older Outlook clients, such as Outlook 97, you may
need to specify that Outlook always automatically perform an LDAP lookup, using
the Outlook Options screen.

The second method of searching the LDAP directory is to use the Outlook Find
tool from the New Mail screen:

Click the New Mail icon to bring up the new mail window.

Click the To: icon.

In the "Choose Names from the" field, choose your LDAP server entry.

Choose Find.

Enter "Jane" in the "Display Name" field, and then choose OK.

To see all of the contact's attributes, simply double-click the entry in the
To: field. Alternatively, you can always use the Start->Search->Using Microsoft
Outlook tool instead of being forced to load Outlook every time you want to
call a contact. Netscape Address Book has a better interface for this, but
Outlook is certainly usable.

Concluding Remarks

OpenLDAP continues to make inroads in small and medium-sized businesses as
an easy, cost-effective way to manage data. This article gave just one small
example of how you can use OpenLDAP, and indeed any LDAP server, to fine-tune
the level of control you have over the information required by your business
and by your users.

I'd like to say thank you to Howard Chu of the OpenLDAP team for helping to
debug this article.